


we hunt monsters

by mazabm



Series: past clings [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bounty Hunters, Gen, Katara is trying to help people in different ways June just wants to get paid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 11:23:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15684438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mazabm/pseuds/mazabm
Summary: During Katara's five year disappearing act she takes up bounty hunting (kinda) and June is curious to say the leastPrequel to upcoming fic but stands alone





	we hunt monsters

_The first time it happens, she’s in an alley, the mask is tight on her face, the ice swords in her hand burn but she doesn’t flinch even as the man takes the swing at her because it’s a quick move, a flick of her hand that sweeps him off his feet and to the ground._

_“Go!”  She whispers to the woman behind her who breaths out a thank you before she runs._

_“I don’t know who you think you are!”  The man says as he reaches for her leg and she laughs, harsh and quick, nimbly moving out of his grasp.  Later, she blames the spirit, her nightmares, the blood on her hands for what she does next._

_“I think you know exactly who I am.” She drives the ice into his hand and doesn’t flinch when he screams.  “I am your nightmare.”  She whispers.  “I am her justice.”_

 

“You are not what I expected but you’ll do.”  Katara eyes the glass in front of her with uncertainty, the voice to the left of her is familiar and cool.

“June,” She says lightly.  “What are you doing here?”

“What I’m always doing, a job.”  The woman is frowning at her.   “You lost the blue, interesting.”  Her eyes flick over Katara’s attire, muted in brown but revealing her stomach and thighs.  “Aren’t you supposed to be saving the world or something noble like that?” Katara looks down again at the drink in front of her, considers lifting it to her lips.

“I’m trying something new.”

“Seedy bars, fascinating choice.”  Then the woman leans in close, her black painted lips right by Katara’s ear and her voice drops.  “The man you’re hunting is wanted in three different providences.  I trust you actually did your research before making yourself a unique target.”  Katara doesn’t look at her with shock.

“You’ve been following me.”  The drink seems to mock her in the same way that June does.

“You’ve never been particularly subtle, the blue mask in your bag upstairs speaks to that.”

“Did Zuko send you?”  Katara asks, making sure to keep her voice low and June chuckles.  She’s sure he’s gotten his letter this time, he shouldn’t know what she’s doing, he shouldn’t have sent June.  

“Should he have?  Is his asking price good?”

“I,” She hesitates “No.” She finally settles on.

“I’ll give you three days to get this guy the way you have been going at it.  Don’t get yourself killed kid.”  it's the last thing June says before taking Katara’s drink and throwing it back, grimacing.

“Hey!  I’m not a,” And June is gone just as quickly and quietly as she came.

“Hey little lady.” And Katara straightens her back and places a practiced smirk on her lips.

 

_“Three women, dead.”  And the disgust in Katara’s voice is evident._

_“He matches the description.”  June says quietly, twirling her knife in one hand.  “You think wifey knows?”_

_“That her husband is a killer and traitor?  For her sake, I hope not.” And June huffs out a laugh.  The kid is dangerous, she just doesn't quite see it._

 “You did good on that one.” Same bar, different day and Katara has several bruises that would beg to differ.  “Is it a water bending trick, or have you figured out other ways in getting them?”

“Can it be both?” She asks and this time she holds her drink with the intention to drink it and Jun finally looks interested in her.

“It only took you two days for you to get the right one.”

“I didn't,” And Katara doesn't like admitting failures.

“Plan?  Didn't know he was an earth bender?” Katara looks down at that.  “He almost overpowered you, didn't he?”

“What do you want Jun?”  and she know she sounds tired, but she doesn't need the other hunter gloating about how much better she is.

“You, or I guess the mask is starting to make a new name for herself, but she's making rookie mistakes.  You need to be more careful and way subtler.”

“Why do you care?"  And Katara is angry, she's trying to help people and June is what?  Critiquing her?  "You were always neutral, even now you hunt in the earth kingdom for common criminals when you could,”

“What?  Hunt for your prince then retire, you picked the wrong occupation, Blue, if you're thinking about retirement.”

“I'm not,”

“Not what?  Like me?  What do you think you're doing, being some type of hero?  No matter how many men you take out, for free I might add, the next providence over has six more.”

“I know that but if I can help even just a little, I do.” And June laughs in her face and takes her drink from her and throws it back.

“Don't get yourself killed trying to be a hero, kid.  This is not the world that your fly boy believed in.  Out here you got to be smarter than that or you'll find yourself getting overpowered by an earth bending rapist who killed his first wife.”

 

_“That was wifey’s scream.”  June says from atop Nyla who rubs at Katara's back and Katara takes a deep breath.  “It’s now or never.” Katara nods reaching out for the water around her, she finds them easily._

_“Just stop.”  She says, clenching her fists together and everyone in her grasp freezes, like there is ice in there very blood._

_“I’ll never get tired of that.”  June says and Katara rolls her eyes._

_“We don’t have much time, let’s go.”_

“I,”

“Didn’t know exactly who you were hunting, mistake one.” And Katara is honestly tired of this.

“Then teach me.” And June stops.  Katara waves at the bartender for another drink, dropping another coin on the bar.  “Clearly you think I have a lot to learn.” And maybe it was because June had been the only women bounty hunter for years or maybe June still remembered the girl who traveled with the Avatar in blue and wanted to teach her a lesson, Katara honestly didn't care.  “So, teach me what you think I need to know.”

“I think you need to be smarter.” June remarks quietly.  “Get paid for your work, know which jails are actually going to keep the men you drop off and which ones you need to ride to another providence.” June says and Katara acknowledges that the woman may be right with a tip of her head.

“And I think that are men out there who no one will pay me for but are exactly who I'm after.” and June watches her with steady brown eyes, her dark makeup making her look more like a spirit in the disgusting lighting of the bar.

“Kid, if you want to hunt monsters you have to prepared.” And Katara's smile is more teeth then it is not.

"I know."

 

_“We’re not going to get paid for this one, Blue” And June tries to sound like she's judging Katara every time she makes this decision but Katara knows where they are and knows by the way that June carries herself that if she wasn't here, June would have burned this whole village to the ground._

 

“The first time you try to get me involved in your hero crap I drop you off on the side of the road.” And she slides her hand across the bar a paper resting underneath, Katara throws her (second) drink of the night back and shakes her head at the burn.  “Three days.” the other woman says lifting her hand and Katara looks down at the paper and smirks.

“I can do it in one.”

 

_“Do you know how evil you have to be to have the Blue Spirit in your bedroom?” Katara has let go and both of them are moving quickly when the burst of flame crosses the room, the woman on the floor screams.  “You see if it were just me this knife would be in your throat but as it is,” Katara flicks her fingers and ice chains swirl around the man and he yells as even his fire is not fast enough to stop all of them.  She is a master after all and there are only about three firebender alive that can best her.  “You see, I think men like you, who seek to dominate and control, you're just as bad as any other bastard that contributed to the war and personally, I would kill you.  She's much nicer than I am.  But not too nice.”_

_The man is silent now, his struggling body slowly stopping as the ice tightens._

_“I say we drop him out the window.” And June is as cold as the ice that surrounds the man._

_“Please.” The woman whispers and both of them jump.  “He is my husband.”_

_“With all due respect ma'am, your husband is wanted for war crimes and that,” She's pointing at Katara, Katara who flicks her wrist and watches the chains continue to tighten.  “Is a water bender who had to watch her own mother die.” And Katara lets go as June’s whip shatters the ice where his knee would be._

_“So, this is what?  Revenge?” And Katara has heard this from people many times and each time she a small part of her wonders ever since she took up this crusade, but June moves quickly and quietly like a serpent.  She bends down to the other woman, snaps her fingers in Katara's direction, a silent but understood ‘focus’_

_“Revenge is overrated ma'am,” And June plays every part so well.  “this is justice.”_

 

 _“_ You can say no,” Katara is all the way on the other side of camp and already sounds like she knows June is going to say no.

“You always start that way when you suggest something that either isn't going to pay me or a very bad idea like offering yourself up for bait.” And Katara has dealt with her personal feelings about both of those situations a few times, enough for her to winch when June says it.

“This might be a little bit of both.”  And June stops what she’s doing at the fire and looks up at the other woman.

“Blue,” she starts because Katara sounds worried even though her face is smooth.

“I think I found Azula.” And June tilts her head like Nyla does when she's curious about something, she’s further away from the fire so the shadows play on the waterbender’s face and June wonders again just what darkness has touched the other woman before they met.

“Monsters?"  And Katara blames the spirit, her nightmares, all of the blood on her hands because she wasn't fast enough for the smirk that appears on her face.

"Monsters."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Me: Azula should have had an on screen redemption arc because she was a brainwashed 14 year old bending prodigy but our child brains only processed "blue fire bad!"  
> My friends: what  
> Me: what
> 
> Anyway I'm writing new Avatar fic coming sorta a 10th year anniversary gift to myself, I want to play with some hard topics like Azula and redemption, Katara and bloodbending, and definitely Aang and Zuko and ruling and so in this one, I kinda play with what Katara is doing as she tries to create what helping people looks like in her terms.


End file.
